Food or like pump



March 7, 1944. D. w. BINGHAM FOOD OR LIKE PUMP Filed NOV. 14, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 www l-'rreys March 7, 1944. D. w. BINGHAM FOOD OR LIKE- PUMP Filed Nov. 14, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Mar. 7, 1944 FOOD OR LIKE PUMP y' f .Davia William Bingham, Middle Brighton,

` Victoria, Australia Application November 14, 1942Serial No. 465,622

In Australia December 18, 1941 (Cl. 10S-166) 12 Claims.

This invention relates to pumps for passing various classes of food and other liquids containing solids through pipes or passages. For eX- ,ample, the pump isparticularly suitable for con- `mashing andbeating or aerating the food product.

Another important feature is that the construction and arrangement of parts of the pump is such that all of the parts are readily accessible for cleaning purposes. Furthermore, the pump is .capable of being easily reversed, if so desired, for passing a cleaning liquid therethrough.

Referring to the drawings which form part of this specification Figure 1 is a side elevation of a food or like pump and driving means thereforin accordance with the present invention, the pump being shown 4in section.

Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional elevation taken on the line II-II of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a part sectional plan view on a reduced scale, of the pump.

Figure 4 is a view on a reduced scale looking at the left-hand side ,of ,the pump driving mechanism seen in Figure l, the pump being omitted for convenience of illustration.

Figure `5 is an enlarged .sectional elevation showing the movements of a pair of oscillating jaws in the pump during the pumping operations.

.According to one practical embodiment, the improved food or like pump includes a supporting standard 2 carrying a pump assembly 3,`driving mechanism 4 therefor, and any suitable source of power such as an electric motor 5 for actuating the driving mechanism. The pump assembly includes a main casing 6 having a central pump chamber 'llof substantially circular formation and fitted with removable side Vplates 8. Any suitable type of screw or like clamping means 9 may be provided for securing the side plates upon the casing.I

The pumpI is provided with inlet and outlet openings II and I2 respectively which may be oppositely disposed, for instance, at the top and bottom of the main casing. Each of said inlet and outletv openings communicates with the central chamber l preferably through a plurality of ports and passages. For example, apair of circumferentially spaced inlet ports I3,. I 3a may communicate by means of a substantially Y- shaped passage I4 with the inlet opening, whilst a similar pair of outlet ports I6, Ia .anda Y-shaped passage I'I may be associatedwith the outlet opening. The pairs of inlet and outlet ports may be substantially oppositely disposed around the central chamber.

Each of the inlet and outlet openings I I, I2 may be provided with a clamping socket I8 and any suitable sealing means wherebypipes or flexible conduits I9 may be detachably connected thereto.

Mounted Within the chamber sov as to oscillate therein is a pair of independently movable arcuate jaws 2|, each of which may comprise opposite end and side walls 22, 23 mounted upon a boss 24 and carrying a curved outer wall 26 opposite to the boss. The opposite end portions of the curved wall may overhang said opposite end wallsso as to form lips or the like 21.

A pair of axially aligned shafts 28 is provided for carrying the pair of jaws and oscillating the latter in opposite directions, as hereinafter described. v

The arcuate length ofthe outer'curvecl surface of each of the aforesaid jaws 2I is less than half the circumference of the inner surface ofthe wall ofthe central pump chamber 'I so that relative circumferential movement may occur between the two jaws at the same time as they are being oscillated. j

The variable gaps so formed between the adjacent ends of the opposed jaws constitute mouths 3|, 3Ia-which are adapted to open automatically for filling when in registry with one of the aforesaid inlet ports I3, Ita and to close automatically for discharging their contents when in registry with one of the outlet ports I6, 16a. The ar'- rangement is such that when one of the mouths is being filled the other mouth is being emptied.

Each of the aforesaid side plates 8 may be provided with a bracket 32 fitted with bearings 33 for carrying one of the shafts 28. Each shaft is provided with a crank arm 34 for oscillating its jaw. One of said crank arms may extend up wardly of its shaft, Whilst the other crank arm may extend in a downward direction.

In order to prevent the escape of iiuid from the pump casing, rubber or like sealing vrings or washers 36 may be mounted on said side plates so as to surround the associated shaft. The outer edge portion of each said sea-ling ring may be clamped as at 37 to its associated side plate 8, whilst the inner edge portion ofthe ring may be similarly clamped as at 38 toits arcuate jaw.

The arrangement is such that relative bodily movement does not occur between each sealing ring and either its jaws or its associated side plate, although the resilient properties of the ring permit it to flex during the oscillatory movements of its jaw.

The aforesaid driving mechanism 4 may be mounted on that side of the supporting standard 2 remote from the pump casing and may comprise a shaft 4| connected to the electric motor by a belt drive 42 and geared as at 43 to another shaft 44. The latter carries a pair of substantially oppositely disposed crank arms 45 which may be located on opposite ends of the driving shaft 44 and be connected, one with each of the crank arms 34 on the pump shafts by means of connecting rods 41. The effective length of the cranks on the driving shaft is less than that of the cranks on the pump shafts, whereby rotation of the driving cranks 45 imparts oscillation to the pump shafts 28 and to the jaws carried thereby. Furthermore, during the oscillatory movements of the jaws, relative circumferential movement occurs therebetween, thus opening and closing the aforesaid mouths 3|, 3|a. discharging the food alternately through each of the outlet ports I6, ita leading to the discharge opening.

The combination and arrangement of parts of the driving mechanism 4 including the relative lengths of the crank arms 34 and 46, the connecting rods 4l and the pair of jaws 2| is such that little, if any, relative circumferential movement occurs between the jaws whilst the mouths 3| 3 I a are out of registry with the inlet and outlet ports during part of the oscillatory movements of the jaws as in Figure 1 of the drawings. If desired vent holes (not shown) may be formed through the jaw bosses 24 to compensate for any slight relative jaw movement that may occur during such periods.

The electric motor 5 may be carried by a support 5| which is pivotally mounted at one side as at 52 upon the supporting standard and provided at its opposite side with one or more elevating screws 53, whereby the belt connecting the motor to the aforesaid driving shaft 4| may be readily tensioned, simply by turning the elevating screw to raise the'motor.

In use, when one of the aforesaid mouths 3i registers with its inlet port i3, it automatically opens and is thus lled by suction with food from the inlet Il. During the return movement of the jaws, the filled mouth is kept open until it registers with its outlet port It, whereupon the mouth is automatically closed for dischargingits contents through the outlet port. Whilst this operation is proceeding, the other mouth Bla is being filled at the second inlet port |311 for subsequent discharge at the second outlet port IBa, as seen more clearly in Figure 5.

It will be appreciated from the foregoing that the improved pump is double acting in that it effects a delivery of the material being piunped during each backward and forward oscillation of the jaws and thus functions to maintain a steady flow of fluid or the like through the inlet and outlet pipes or conduits I9. No glands are employed which might be likely to leak, whilst, in addition, there is no possibility of the food product being contaminated with lubricant. As all internal passages are of relatively large cross section, no difficulty is experienced in cleaning such passages when required. The driving mechanism is relatively simple and is adapted to en- :additions may be incorporated in the foregoing construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as dened .by the appended claims.

Having now described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A pump for food and other material in the form of liquid containing solids, comprising in combination, a main casing having a pump chamber of circular formation, valveless inlet and outlet ports communicating with said cha-mber, a pair of coaxial independently movable arcuate jaws disposed in said chamber with opposing faces of said jaws enclosing material containing spaces in said chamber, and driving mechanism for oscillating said jaws about their common axis relatively to said inlet and outlet ports and for simultaneously eiecting relative circumferential movement therebetween to vary the volume of said material containing spaces, the said relative movement and the said oscillation being so coordinated that when one of said spaces is being enlarged for filling at an inlet port, the other space is being contracted for discharging its contents at an outlet port, said arcuate jaws being arranged to open and close the inlet and outlet openings in proper sequence.

2. A pump according to claim l, wherein a plurality of valveless inlet ports and a `plurality of valveless outlet ports communicate with and are spaced circumferentially of said pump chamber, and the relative and oscillatory movements of the jaws are so coordinated that each of said spaces is lled at a separate inlet port and subsequently emptied at a separate outlet port.

3. A pump for food and other material in the form of liquid containing solids, comprising a main casing having a central pump chamber of circular formation, a plurality of oppositely disposed valveless inlet and outlet ports communicating with the pump chamber through inlet and outlet openings therein, a pair of independently movable arcuate jaws arranged to `oscillate in the pump chamber about the central axis thereof, each said jaw consisting of `opposite end and side wallsmounted upon a `boss and carrying a curved outer wall opposite to the boss whereby Agaps between the adjacent ends of the opposed jaws form material containing spaces in said chamber which open and close during the oscillatory movements of the jaws, said arcuate jaws being arranged to open and close the inlet and outlet openings in proper sequence.

4. A pump according to claim 3 in-which the arcuate length of theoruter surface-of said curved outer wall is less than half the circumference of the inner surface of the wall of the circular pump chamber.

5. A pump according to claim 3 further comprising a supporting member to which the pump casing is xed, a driving shaft mounted therein, a pair of substantially oppositely disposed cranks longitudinally spaced on said drive shaft, an independent shaft for each jaw carried by the pump casing, a crank on each jaw shaft and connecting rods between each drive shaft crank and the respective jaw crank, the driving cranks being shorter than the jaw cranks one of which extends upwardly while the other extends downwardly.

6. A pump according to claim 1, wherein said driving mechanism includes means whereby substantially no relative circumferential movement occurs between the jaws whilst the spaces between them are out of registry with the inlet and outlet ports.

7. A pump according to claim l, wherein a pair of axially aligned driving shafts are mounted upon the main casing centrally of the pump chamber, each of said shafts carrying one of said jaws which consists of opposite end and side walls mounted upon a boss and a curved outer wall opposite to the boss.

8. A pump according to claim l, wherein a pair of axially aligned driving shafts are mounted upon the main casing centrally of the pump chamber, each of said shafts carrying one of said jaws which consists of opposite end and side walls mounted upon a boss and a curved outer wall opposite to the boss, the opposite end portions of the curved outer wall of each said jaw overhanging the opposite end walls of the jaw so as to form lips which facilitate opening and closing of the inlet and outlet ports and also the discharge of the material from said spaces through the outlet ports.

9. A pump according to claim 1, wherein the pump chamber is provided with a pair of circumferentially spaced valveless inlet ports communicating by means of a passage with an inlet opening whilst a pair of circumferentially spaced valveless outlet ports communicate through a passage with an outlet opening, the pairs of inlet and outlet ports being substantially oppositely disposed around the pump chamber so that separate inlet and outlet ports are provided for each of the spaces between the jaws.

10. A pump according to claim 1, wherein said jaws are mounted upon a pair of axially aligned shafts, one for each jaw, said jaw shafts being provided with a pair of crank arms connected by connecting rods with a pair of substantially oppositely disposed cranks on a driving shaft, the length of the driving cranks being less than that of the jaw cranks whereby rotation of the driving cranks imparts oscillation to the pump shafts and to the jaws carried thereby.

11. A pump according to claim 1, wherein the pump chamber is centrally located in the main casing and iitted with removable side plates each of which is provided with a bracket fitted with bearings for carrying one of a pair of axially aligned shafts one for each jaw, each said shaft being provided with a crank arm for oscillating its jaw, the crank arm on one of said shafts extending upwardly of its shaft whilst the other crank extends downwardly of its Shaft.

12. A pump according to claim l, wherein the pump chamber is fitted with removable side plates carrying a pair `of axially aligned shafts, one for each jaw, said shafts being provided with sealing means for preventing the escape of liquid from the pump chamber, said sealing means comprising rings mounted one on each' of said side plates so as to surround the associated shaft, the outer edge portion of each sealing ring being secured to its side plate while the inner edge portion of the ring is secured to its arcute jaw in such a manner so as to permit the ring to flex during the oscillatory movements of its jaw without permitting bodily movement to occur between each sealing ring and its jaw and associated side plate.

DAVID WILLIAM BINGHAM. 

